November has once again been designated as Men’s Mental Health Month. Organised by the Mental Health Foundation, it aims to throw the spotlight on men and their mental health.
Against the backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic, which affects everyone to greater or lesser degrees, focusing on mental health becomes all the more important. During lockdown, and with so many of us working from home, there is the added risk of mental health issues caused by loneliness and isolation.
At Rombourne, we’re keen to promote good mental health, both among our own team and all our valued clients based at our serviced offices in Bristol, Cardiff, Newport and Swindon. So we’ve done some research and come up with ideas for helping you to look after your mental health – whatever gender you identify with – particularly if you are working from home.
6 Tips for Good Mental Health During The Pandemic
- Create and stick to a routine. Routine is good for our mental health, so whether you are WFH or in the office, have a set start and finish time, and factor in your breaks. When you finish work, make sure you really switch off – don’t be tempted to keep checking those work emails. Also, extend this routine to the rest of the day: get up and go to bed at the same time and try to have fixed meal times.
- If you are working from home, set a dedicated work area in your house. This will help differentiate ‘home’ and ‘office’ so it feels less like you have lost that work/life balance.
- Take regular breaks, including screen break. Have a proper lunch break and get away from your desk. You could go for a walk or a jog. In fact…
- Exercise is brilliant for maintaining good mental health, as it releases endorphins, which help reduce stress and give a sense of wellbeing.
- Keep communicating. That means communicating with your colleagues, friends and family. If you are self-isolating, or live alone, reaching out is essential for maintaining good mental health. Talking to other people helps combat feelings of isolation and loneliness.
- Don’t be hard on yourself! We are all living through an extraordinary and challenging time. It’s perfectly understandable that sometimes we won’t be performing at our best, or feeling at our best. Remember, it is OK to have an off day, so be realistic about what you can achieve when you are feeling low, and try not to feel stressed.
If you want to read more, there is a wealth of information on the Mental Health Foundation website, including this great blog written by and for men, with tips on how to pick yourself up when things are tough.
And if you are thinking of relocating your business to serviced offices in Bristol, Cardiff, Swindon or Newport, please do get in touch with the team. We would be delighted to show you around.
